The Pursuit of Perfection

Human evolution, both individually and collectively, comes from the interest we have in improving our lot, in improving the quality of our life experience. We are always seeking until we get satisfaction. When we find Perfection then there is no more seeking, only contentment and peace.

The word "Perfection" means that which is whole and complete, not lacking anything. The human experience of Perfection is one of not wanting anything, to be desireless. When we are completely fulfilled, we have it all and our desires, wants and needs are satisfied. Those who have found Perfection can completely appreciate, enjoy and love all life's experiences.

The experience of Perfection happens when we are free of all our desires, hope, dreams, wishes, wants and aspirations. Perfection happens when we have it all, not necessarily as we imagined it, but as it is and we feel fulfilled.

Others have spoken about Perfection. They may have called it Nirvana or the Kingdom of Heaven, but from their description they are talking about the same experience. They are talking about the quality of life being perfect.

Being Perfect does not mean that we fit the images or ideals of others, or even ourselves. It means we no longer have the desires or pains that motivated us to create the images or ideals.

Many people have expressed ideas of what it would be like to live in a utopia. They usually talk about what would have to be changed in this world in order for it to be perfect. To a perfected person this world IS utopia. This world, AS IT IS, can be experienced as absolutely perfect. The experience of Perfection comes not in changing the world but in changing our attitude toward the world. If anyone person find Perfection then everyone can.

We have heard it said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Imagine two people viewing a piece of art. The first loves the work and the second hates it. The first person experiences love at the sight of the art and the second experiences hatred. Do we not all want to be able to experience love? Perfection comes when we discover the ability to love and find beauty in everything. Beauty is an intrinsic value within our selves, it is a skill. Unconditional love is the ability to love everything.

Many people believe that the experience of Perfection (or Heaven or Nirvana) in this life is impossible. They imagine it to be outside of the life experience, to come in an afterlife or a future life. This limitation is a product only of their narrow minds. They still identify with the body and the material world, and therefore fear anything that could destroy or damage the body. These people tend to be very pessimistic, discouraged and negative. They see the world or people as bad, wrong or evil.

A full spectrum life includes both the positive experiences of fulfillment or unconditional love and the negative experiences of lack, fear and pain. All experiences comprise a whole and complete life. The negative experiences give us an appreciation for the more positive experiences and this sense of appreciation gives us the richness of life. It is this sense of appreciation that enables us to manifest a greater experience of Perfection.

The more we strive to make the world better, the more we will experience failure. With our failure, we are better able to appreciate and experience the Perfection of the world as it is. While seeking, we discover that Perfection is not an accomplishment--it comes through seeking itself, in the wonder and appreciation of the search.

When the mind is clear, we are able to see how everything "fits" or works together--everything is the way it must be. We can then appreciate and love the whole mosaic of reality and see it as beautiful.

We are perfect when we can love everything, even human pain and suffering. A perfect person can see that pain and suffering are necessary to motivate the human instrument to evolve and grow in its ability to experience and love life. When we no longer cling to and identify with the body or any material form then we can experience the world and love it unconditionally. A perfectly liberated person has nothing to lose and nothing to fear.

Perfection is NOW. All we have to do to experience it is to give up our negative attitudes. When we release negativity (which is resistance or tension), we open up to appreciation, joy and love. Pain is the product of our resistance. We fear painful things and judge them as negative. These judgments are the basis of our belief systems, and they perpetuate our negativity by causing us to resist future experiences. Perfection requires nothing other than being aware of what we are doing that is keeping us from experiencing it now. Be aware of resistance and tension and let it go, relax.

There is a time to be narrow-minded and a time to have expanded awareness. A balanced, whole and complete life includes narrowing our focus of awareness to care about something and expanding our awareness to care about nothing. A narrowed focus gives us power; an expanded focus gives us clarity.

In the material realm, we adjust the world to fit our pains, discomforts or desires. In the spiritual realm, we adjust ourselves to fit the reality of the world. The whole and complete person has mastery in both realms, yet Perfection is found not in changing the world but in adjusting our attitudes. The material world offers only mediocrity. Those who seek perfection, who seek to have it all, find it by learning to adjust their perspectives and ways of thinking through the art of letting go.

When we give up fighting to survive, the quality of life comes in. Perfection is possible just by changing our way of looking at things. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is Perfection.